Alabama Senate race results formally certified

Republican Roy Moore has filed a lawsuit to try to stop Alabama from certifying Democrat Doug Jones as the victor of the state's special Senate election on 12 December. More specifically, Moore said election fraud experts had, through statistical analyses, determined that fraud was a factor in the election, claiming that out-of-state residents had been allowed to vote and that the 47 percent voter turnout was "highly unusual". Montgomery Circuit Judge Johnny Hardwick ignored the complaint and certified Jones as the victor on Thursday, Dec. 28.

Jones filed a motion Thursday in Montgomery Circuit court asking a judge to dismiss Moore's complaint. The Democrat will soon head to Washington for his swearing-in on January 3.

The election result was certified by the state canvassing board, which is made up of the governor, secretary of state, and the attorney general - all elected Republicans.

A spokesman for Doug Jones is calling Roy Moore's last-minute lawsuit to stop the certification of Jones' victory in this month's U.S. Senate race a "desperate attempt".

A spokesperson for the Doug Jones transition team, Sam Coleman, has released a statement on behalf of Doug Jones this morning in response to Roy Moore's challenge. "We call on Secretary of State (John) Merrill to delay certification until there is a thorough investigation of what three independent election experts agree took place: election fraud sufficient to overturn the outcome of the election".

"The election is over, it's time to move on", he added. He asked a judge to block the state from certifying Jones as the victor. But Merrill told CNN Thursday that he still planned to certify Jones as the victor on Thursday afternoon and noted that his office has investigated more than 60 accusations of voter fraud and was not moved to question the results.

Moore's complaint also named Jefferson County Probate Judge Alan King as a defendant, alleging an "implausible" difference between his vote totals and general Republican ballot results in Jefferson County.

The final tally finds that Mr Jones won by a margin of 21,924 votes out of more than 1.3 million cast.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrilltold The Associated Press Wednesday evening that Jones will be certified as the victor Thursday.

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